1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to a device for use in fastening jewelry, buttoning buttons, and zipping zippers. More particularly, the present invention relates to a combination device for use in assisting a person in fastening a bracelet around his or her wrist, for fastening buttons through buttonholes, and for closing zippers, particularly zippers located on the back portion of clothing
2. State of the Art
Jewelry, such as rings, broaches, necklaces, and bracelets, is widely used by women and men for ornamentation. Particularly, bracelets are ornamental bands or chains, or string of beads or pearls worn around a person's wrist. Although, some bracelets are formed from various materials into the shape of a continuous band that is slid over a person's hand, most bracelets have a releasable clasp for connecting together the two ends of the bracelet to securely retain the bracelet around a person's wrist.
A typical clasp has a first interlocking member and a second releasably operable, usually spring biased, interlocking member, each of which is attached to opposite ends of a bracelet. An example of a typical clasp, for connecting the ends of a bracelet and securing the bracelet around a person's wrist, generally consists of a small continuous ringlet or loop at one end of the bracelet and a releasably operable hook or loop attached at the other end of the bracelet. The releasably operable hook interlocks with the ringlet to connect the two ends of the bracelet together.
Another example of a typical clasp, for use in connecting the ends of a bracelet and securing the bracelet around a person's wrist, generally includes a receiving member having a cavity attached at one end the bracelet and a mating member having an insertable projection attached at the other end of the bracelet. Either of the receiving or the mating members can be releasably operable. The mating member interlocks with the receiving member to connect the two ends of the bracelet together. Various other configurations of releasable clasps have been devised for connecting the ends of a bracelet together and retain it around a person's wrist.
A major problem with a bracelet having a releasable clasp is in the effort required by a person to easily and quickly fasten the bracelet around his or her wrist. Manually fastening a bracelet around one's wrist requires an individual to exhibit great dexterity. First, the hand, adjoining the wrist upon which the bracelet is to be worn, is often of no help in manipulating the clasp. Often, a person must solely use one hand, the hand opposite from the wrist to which the bracelet is to be worn, to hold the first interlocking member in place on their wrist while attempting to connect the second usually releasably operable interlocking member. Frequently, a person needs to try several times in order to successfully connect the clasp of the bracelet when trying to fasten it around his or her wrist.
My prior U.S. Pat. No. 5,709.327 discloses a bracelet fastening device to assist a person in quickly and easily fastening a bracelet around his or her own wrist. The device overcomes the problems associated with fastening a bracelet around one's own wrist without the assistance of another person and particularly by a person with impaired fine motor skills. The device generally includes a handle and releasable clamping means operably attached to the handle. The clamping means is operable to releasably hold at least one interlocking member of a releasable clasp of a bracelet. The handle is sized and configured to be held in a hand of a person so that the clamping means is positioned to rest on a wrist adjoining the hand holding the handle. A person using the bracelet fastening device can hold and position with one hand at least one interlocking member of the releasable clasp on the adjoining wrist while using the other free hand to fasten the other interlocking member of the clasp therewith to securely retain the bracelet around the wrist.
I have recognized that, in addition to fastening bracelets, difficulties are presented in the operations of fastening buttons and closing zippers. Buttons are difficult to manipulate for many people with impaired motor skills and zippers are particularly difficult to close when located on the back portion of clothing, for example on the back of a woman's dress.